Escape artist Houdini II performed a high-rise escape Friday above the Magic Castle in Hollywood, a day before the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death.
Houdini II was suspended about nine stories above the ground and escaped from a straightjacket without an airbag or protective landing system below.
“One leg. That’s never been done,” Houdini II told NBC4. “Now you’re talking about making history. Every escape artist in the world uses two legs, right? One leg on that one. I’m the bad boy in magic.”
Organizers described the event as the first live escape by a Black escape artist in front of the Magic Castle.
Houdini II’s past stunts include jumping from Miami’s MacArthur Bridge into Biscayne Bay while bound with ropes and chains, and escaping from a submerged, coffin-like wooden box before reappearing behind the audience, organizers said.
Harry Houdini, born Erik Weisz in Budapest, became famous for escapes involving handcuffs and locked containers. He died in Detroit on Oct. 31, 1926, at age 52, from peritonitis.
Houdini II recently completed a 10-month tour promoting his documentary, “Houdini II: A Beautiful Day to Die,” with screenings in Berlin, London and several U.S. states. The tour concluded at Brooklyn’s Bushwick Film Festival, according to organizers.
He also incorporates magic into his work as a keynote and motivational speaker.